If you’re lucky enough to have a working Xbox 360 in your home, and you’re also a quick responder to the call to arms that is this article, you just might be playing Battlefield: Bad Company multiplayer in a few hours.

Hosted by IGN and GameStop (who else?), the beta is only playable to those of you who suffer through their corporate evil to obtain a code. IGN offers codes through its Insider program; you can go to their underground smut dealership, FilePlanet, and download a key.

The front page states that only European codes remain (as of this writing), but it also claims subscriber keys are still available. Very curious… This is obviously just another attempt for IGN to get you to shell out cash for their stupid VIP club of douchebags (no offense to any VIP club douchebags who may already be “Insiders”).

GameStop, on the other hand, has 5,000 beta keys reserved for the first people to pre-order the game through their website at www.gamestop.com/badcompanybeta. Please note that this is for the Xbox 360 only, as there is no word on a beta test for the PS3.

Karl-Magnus Troedsson, Senior Producer for Battlefield: Bad Company, had this to say:

“We’re really excited about this beta since it gives us a chance to let a wider audience play our new multiplayer game, ‘Gold Rush’. The feedback coming back from something like this is crucial for us as developers and will help us with the final changes and polish in the game. Battlefield and FPS fans get their first glimpse into how tactical destruction can be applied in multiplayer gameplay. We think offering two of the multiplayer maps will give gamers a fantastic experience and some great insight into the game.”

The beta will run from today through April 25th. Battlefield: Bad Company is scheduled for release on June 24th for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

COD4, currently one of the most played online multiplayer games, looks to be getting some new content soon. Already said to be “on the way”, current rumor is detailing at least three maps in development: Broadcast, Dusk and Hill.

The three maps look to provide a variety of gameplay with some close-quarters action and differing light levels, as well as indoor and outdoor locales. Only a few shots are available so far, but the areas should be familiar to gamers who went through the single-player campaign. No doubt Infinity Ward will have some nice tweaks and re-designed bits to adapt the locations to the multiplayer arena and challenge gamers.

No official confirmation yet, which means no word on pricing or release timeframe.

Source: psu.com

The makers of Call of Duty 4 are looking for new maps, and they’re going to outsource the job to the unlimited creativity of rabid Call of Duty fans.

They’ve set up a contest looking for the best user created map, with the winner receiving an unspecified prize.

On March 31st, we’re going to be choosing our favorite community made maps and award the map makers of our favorites picks with special prizing and opportunities which we can’t announce just yet but will be in the very near future (probably within a week).

However the clock is ticking to get your map designed, as I said, we’ll be choosing our favorite community made custom multiplayer maps on March 31st.

What will this mysterious prize be? As someone famous once said, “Well, dude, we just don’t know.” Presumably the winner will get to see their creation made available to the masses, which in itself makes this contest worth a shot. But the added prize incentive should have many fans frothing at the mouth. Who knows, maybe the winner will be offered a job?

To find out more please visit Infinity Ward’s website.

One thing’s certain: Infinity Ward has come up with a brilliant way to add new content without doing much work.